Journal: Igor Stravinsky (IB Music)

Biography:

• Who: 
• Igor Stravinsky
• Took lessons in piano and music theory as a child, yet studied law as a young adult. Eventually discovered talent for composition and studied under Rimsky-Korsakov 
• When: 
• Lived from June 17, 1882 until April 6, 1971
• Studied under Rimsky-Korsakov starting in the early 1900s (around 1902). R-K acted as a mentor for Stravinsky, offering suggestions on his new works and getting them performed. 
• Composed Rite of Spring (most notable piece) in 1911-1913
• Where:
• Born in Oranienbaum (now Lomonosov), near St. Petersburg, Russia 
• Stayed largely in Russia. The Rite of Spring was premiered in Paris, France (resulting in a riot). After this performance, he moved his family to France, then Switzerland, where he stayed until 1920. After a few years in France and then Russia again, he remarried and moved to Hollywood, California.
• What:
• Composed opera/theater, ballet, orchestral, choral, vocal, chamber, piano, and player piano works.  
• Also composed concerti for piano and violin.
• His most popular works were ballet, The Firebird and The Rite of Spring.
• Style:
• Stravinsky's works can be separated into three main periods:
• Russian Period (1907-1919)
• Orchestration, overall structure, harmonic organization, and melodic content influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as Glazunov, Taneyev, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Dvorak, and Debussy. 
• Mainly orchestral works, and ballets (like Petrushka).
• Neoclassical Period (1920-1954)
• Return to Classical traditions, focusing on themes from Greek Mythology.
• Important works include the Octet, the Serenade in A, and Apollon, Persephone, and Orpheus. 
• Serial Period (1954-1968)
• Serialism = a fixed series of notes are used to create the harmonic and melodic basis of a piece (12 tone music, for example)
• Stravinsky largely used dodecaphony (12 tones) in works like Agon, Threni, and The Flood.

Listening Journal: Stravinsky's The Septet (1953) - first movement lacking title

• Instrumentation:
• Septet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, violin, viola, and cello
• Meter/Tempo/Rhythm:
• Tempo marked 88 bpm 
• Feels simple duple, most likely 4/4
• Most rhythms are normal, but staggered entrances (sometimes on offbeats) makes it sound very complex
• Melody:
• Not often distinguishable, as it is shared and passed around by all seven members of the chamber ensemble
• 
  
• Tonality:
• Starts seemingly atonal. After some time cadences make the piece seem slightly tonal.
• Opposing melodies in clarinet, strings, and piano
• Major tonality?? - definitely not clear, move towards serialism. This piece is most likely serial. Judging based upon the time it was composed, this was right during his transition from neo-classical to serial. I'd say that this is definitely not classical. At all.
• Texture:
• Very polyphonic. At some points there are solos where it becomes homophonic or even monophonic, but the piece is largely polyphonic.